IIMCIP in collaboration with T-Hub to focus on empowering and elevating the entrepreneurial ecosystem in North East India

In a landmark decision, IIM Calcutta Innovation Park has inked a collaboration with T-Hub especially focussed on empowering and elevating the entrepreneurial ecosystem in North East India. This partnership aims to accelerate the growth of startups by giving them enhanced access to funds, expert mentorship and crucial market opportunities.

IIMCIP and T-Hub will join forces, leveraging the combined networks and expertise to deliver impactful programmes, events and initiatives. Together, we will create opportunities for cross-incubation, investor pitching, innovation challenges, workshops and accelerator programs—all aimed at nurturing and accelerating innovation across the region.

IIMCIP has been actively supporting entrepreneurs in the North Eastern Region, collaborating closely with four state governments in the region to date towards uplifting the region’s entrepreneurial landscape. The partnership with T-Hub is set to create even greater opportunities for innovative enterprises, paving the way for the region’s next generation of visionary entrepreneurs.

IIMCIP partners with STARTUP BIHAR to propel the growth of Startups

In a landmark collaboration aimed at empowering Bihar’s
entrepreneurial ecosystem, Startup Bihar has onboarded IIM
Calcutta Innovation Park (IIMCIP) as its Knowledge Partner. This
partnership will focus on designing and executing a
comprehensive Acceleration Program, targeting high-potential,
growth-stage startups in the region. The program is set to equip
entrepreneurs with the essential tools and strategies needed to
attract investment and foster sustainable growth.

IIMCIP will provide strategic guidance to around 20-25 selected
entrepreneurs, helping them navigate critical growth challenges
and position themselves for significant investment opportunities.
A key milestone for this program is the creation of 10 standout
success stories that will serve as role models for Bihar’s
entrepreneurial ecosystem.

IIMCIP has remained steadfast in its commitment to fostering the
entrepreneurship ecosystem in relatively underserved regions of
the country. Through this new collaboration, it shall strive to
advance its mission.

IIMCIP joins hands with IIT Kanpur

IIMCIP has forged a new collaboration with the Startup
Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at IIT Kanpur. An MoU
was signed by Prof. Deepu Philip, Professor-in-charge of SIIC, IIT
Kanpur, and Dr. Subhrangshu Sanyal, CEO of IIM Calcutta
Innovation Park, in the presence of Piyush Mishra and Anurag
Singh from SIIC, and Mr. Gaurav Kapoor from IIMCIP.

Corroborating IIMCIP’s commitment to fostering collaboration in
areas such as mentorship, resource access and the exchange of
best practices for scaling innovative ideas, this strategic
partnership seeks to strengthen startup support by combining the
strengths of both institutions in nurturing early-stage ventures.

IIM Calcutta Unveils New Technology Incubation Arm to benefit East & North East India

We are thrilled to announce the establishment of the IIMCIP Technology and Innovation Council (IIMC-TIC), a new Section 8 company under IIM Calcutta Innovation Park! The landmark announcement was made during a launch event held at the IIM Calcutta campus on June 22, 2024, in the presence of eminent figures like the Chairman – Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta Board of Governors, Director – IIM Calcutta, Chairman and Board members of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and Padma Shri awardee Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, the proposed Chairman of the Board, IIMC-TIC.

IIMC-TIC envisions fostering innovation, driving technology-led growth and promoting inclusive development across East and Northeast India while ensuring that all sections of society benefit by adopting a human-centric approach.

Notably, IIM Calcutta (IIM Calcutta Innovation Park) has joined hands with the IIT Madras Incubation Cell towards achieving IIMC-TIC’s mission of creating a large-scale socio-economic impact leveraging technology and innovation. This collaboration represents a confluence of intellectual prowess and innovation excellence and is poised to create a powerful synergy leveraging the business acumen of IIMCIP and the technological expertise of IIT Madras Incubation Cell. Padma Shri awardee Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, a luminary in the realm of technology and innovation and a visionary leader has agreed to preside as the Chairman of the Board of the IIMCIP Technology and Innovation Council (IIMC-TIC). Under his leadership, IIMC-TIC is poised to launch groundbreaking initiatives to revolutionise the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, particularly in East and Northeast India.

IIMCIP at Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Headquarters in Hamamatsu

It was an honour for IIMCIP to be a part of the educational and networking trip to Japan this month, organised by Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., for startups and ecosystem partners. Our COO, Mr. Pranjal Konwar, represented IIMCIP and gained invaluable insights into Japan’s advanced startup ecosystem. Visits to Suzuki Motor Corporation’s headquarters in Hamamatsu, the Sagara Plant, the Suzuki Museum and the Yokohama R&D Center were eye-opening, showcasing remarkable innovations and the influence of Japanese culture and tradition on their work ethic.

The trip offered a valuable chance for networking and showcasing IIMCIP’s mission, offerings and success stories, with a notable highlight being the meeting with Mr. Toshihiro Suzuki, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Tapan Sahoo (Executive Director, Head of Digital Enterprise, MSIL), Mr. Eiichi Ikeda (EVP, MSIL), Mr. Rohan Chhatwal (Vice President – Innovation & Research Centre, MSIL), Mr. Aditya Naag (Deputy General Manager, MSIL) and the entire team at Maruti Suzuki India Limited for facilitating this memorable trip.

IIMCIP has had a fruitful association with Maruti Suzuki India Limited in identifying and assisting tech-based startups working on innovations in mobility and related areas through MSIL’s incubation program. We look forward to strengthening this association further and accelerating the momentum of our efforts to support startup and innovation.

MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024

MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024 puts forth a springboard for Meghalaya entrepreneurs

The valleys of Meghalaya reverberated with a chorus singing paeans to the entrepreneurial spirit and the evolving entrepreneurship landscape in the state during the 3-day mega MeghaPreneur EXPO 2024 held recently. The event was graced by the honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma, who is spearheading the entrepreneurship renaissance in the state through the PRIME Meghalaya initiative. The EXPO drew a large audience, including state government dignitaries, accomplished startup founders, corporate representatives, local entrepreneurs and startup enthusiasts.

Apart from creating a premium space for the display of innovative offerings of Meghalaya’s entrepreneurs and facilitating interactions among the local entrepreneurs, the 3-day mega event had let out the stage for successful startup founders like Shashank Kumar, founder of the IIMCIP-incubated DeHaat, Raghuram Kuchibatla, founder of Yespoho, Zomawii Khiangte, founder of Mizo Brewery, to share their journeys, inspire local entrepreneurs and equip them with valuable entrepreneurial insights. Besides, representatives from Walmart Vriddhi and ONDC were invited to enlighten the audience about the e-commerce environment and its latest trends. Additionally, Mr. Jayanta Das, Area Director of IHCL for NE, Darjeeling, Bhutan and Nepal, delivered an enlightening session, advising entrepreneurs to measure their success not only in terms of profit but also in how they positively impact the community.

The event also marked the graduation of Cohort 3.0 of PRIME’s E-championship program and the onboarding of the new Cohort. The event’s culmination featured several awards ceremonies, including the prestigious presentation of the CM-ELEVATE Award.

Meghapreneur EXPO 2024 was more than just an occasion; it was a celebration of the people of Meghalaya choosing the entrepreneurial path.

Northeast Startup Summit, organized by the North Eastern Council and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park

The North Eastern Council, in association with IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, organised the “Northeast Startup Summit” on the 29^th of January, 2024, at Hotel Vivanta, Guwahati, bringing much-needed exposure to the startup ecosystem of the region.Serving as the culmination of the incubation program for the initial cohort of 270 startups under the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme, a joint initiative by the North Eastern Council and IIM Calcutta Innovation Park as the Implementation Partner, the Summit stood out as the largest of its kind in the area.

The primary goal of the Summitwas to showcase and celebrate the evolution of the startup ecosystem in Northeast India while providing a platform for innovative minds to connect, collaborate and gain exposure. The eventwitnessed a footfall of over 500 startup founders from Northeast India, ecosystem enablers, celebrated entrepreneurs, corporate leaders and some of the top-notch investors in the country.

The event was graced by the Secretary of the North Eastern Council, K. Moses Chalai, IAS, who wasaccompanied by Som Kamei, IPoS, Planning Advisor, North Eastern Council and M.C Omi, Ningshen, IRS, NECBDC.The Chairman and Managing Director of NEDFi, PVSLN Murty was also present at the Summit, offering his valuable insights on funding andencouraging the emerging startups of the region.

Addressing the gathering, the NEC Secretary conveyed his satisfaction with the results of the North East Entrepreneurship Development Programme.”I am happy to see the 270 startups selected for the program benefiting from the guidance and mentorship provided by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park,” he remarked. He further assured the startups of comprehensive support and emphasised their crucial role in driving the economic transformation of the region.

The Summit garnered significant exposure for the fast-evolving startup ecosystem of the region as numerous reputed figures from India’s startup ecosystem participated in the event. Notable attendees included Sagar Daryani, Founder & CEO, Wow! Momo; Pratap TP, Founder, QwikCilver Solutions; Shradha Sharma, Founder & CEO, YourStory Media; SP Singh, Chief General Manager, SIDBI; Vikram Gupta, Founder & Managing Partner, IvyCap Ventures; Hari Balasubramanian, Member, Indian Angel Network; Anuj Sharma, Founder, ALSiSAR IMPACT; and Anil Chhikara, Head – Global Strategy, Marwari Catalysts, to name a few.

A key highlight of the mega eventwas an eclectic exhibition by over 80 startups from across the eight states of Northeast India, serving as a testament to the unique products and innovations emerging from the vibrant region.

While the visiting investors expressed interest in a number of startups from the region, the celebrated entrepreneurs were overwhelmed by the sheer variety and diversity of the products displayed by the startups at the exhibition.

IIMCIP Annual Strategy Meet 2023

We had an Annual Strategy Meet last weekend amid the serene wilderness of the Dooars region in West Bengal. IIMCIP teams from Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh came together for an exhilarating 2-day Meet packed with supercharged sessions, fun-filled activities and memorable team bonding interventions.

What made the Meet stand out was the involvement of the entire team in democratically deciding on the way forward strategy for IIMCIP. The team was especially ecstatic when the Chairman of the IIMCIP Board and Country Head of Google India, Mr. Sanjay Gupta, decided to join the team online for a live interaction.

Besides, gamified activities were designed to hone leadership skills and build the capacity of the team. The quality of the workshops combined with the sanguine team camaraderie and a jaw-dropping location made it a memorable congregation that every IIMCIPian will cherish and draw inspiration to keep going with a supercharged passion.

Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program (DHFP) by the US Department of State

The COO of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, Mr. Pranjal Konwar , was recently selected for the Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program (DHFP) by the US Department of State. He was one of the twelve senior-level professionals selected this year from across the globe for this invitation-only program designed to strengthen abilities to develop sound policies and programs around critical global issues.

The 18-day program comprised a rigorous schedule that included a 7-day Leadership Program at Harvard’s J.F. Kennedy School of Government, followed by four days of strategic networking and culminating with a weeklong interaction with the Department of State in Washington DC.

Heartiest congratulations to Mr. Pranjal Konwar! We firmly believe that his newly gained global insights and connections will help further the mission of IIM Calcutta Innovation Park.

Winners of the 11th edition of the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge 2022-23

We are super stoked to share with you the winners of the 11th edition of the Tata Social Enterprise Challenge (2022-23)! These social innovators are nothing less than heroes daring to walk the arduous path of entrepreneurship to forge an impact that benefits society at large.

Winner: Mudita and Radhesh Pvt. Ltd., which is dedicated to empowering tribal women by involving them in crafting handwoven clothing using an innovative fibre derived from chicken butchery waste products, secured the winning title in #TSEC 2022-23. The startup was awarded a winning cash prize of Rs. 5 Lakhs.

Runner Up: Health-tech startup, Thremear Pvt. Ltd., walked away with the Runner Up title and a prize money of Rs. 3 Lakhs, for its innovative efforts to develop affordable diagnostic products to create a revolutionary impact on women’s healthcare and wellness.

Second Runner-Up: The Second Runner-up and the recipient of Rs. 2 Lakhs prize money, Ambiator Pvt. Ltd. is a climate technology startup offering environmentally friendly cooling solutions for human thermal comfort.

Seed Fund Winner: The TATA Seed Fund of Rs. 25 Lakhs was awarded to Jigyasa Rurban Distribution Services Pvt. Ltd., which is expected to catalyse its efforts to make quality essential products and services accessible to underserved rural and urban households in India through its By Now Pay Later (BNPL) e-Grocery distribution service.